Accidental beauties and surprises

[2manyoranges]

Amongst the many bikes I have built and owned over the past decades, there are strange standouts...not the top end esoterica months-of-work builds, but the accidental ones.

A C-16R which caught my eye at 5pm in the Argus newspaper,. Half an hour later I was riding it home. Silver, STX, onza tyres. A month later it sported a Judy and a full service. That bikes did thousands of miles on the South Downs - it saw every season, every form of weather, mud, snow and summer dust. I would walk towards something five times the price to go for a ride, and then at the last minute turn and pick the C16R. It was just ..... right. I hadn't looked for it, I hadn't anticipated buying it, it just happened.

Roll forward many years and many many experiences, and I am on RetroBike one night and immediately see a Ragley mmmBop frame and Manitou Mattoc forks...for 250. Without really thinking, the offer to buy went as a PM. Two days' later the frame was in the stand and the build had begun. Parts from around the workshop plus some nice additions: a carbon handlebar to offset the notorious harshness of the frame. Ti seat post for the same. A nice rear wheel - Stan's on DT for the rear. Hope 35 internal for the front. There was a bit of refinement; a Renthal 50mm stem to replace a 35mm Spank (much better front end traction). That bike has done thousands of miles in Thetford, the South Downs and occasional outings afar. It is just...right. I hadn't looked for it, I hadn't anticipated buying it, it just happened.

I have some really special builds in the workshop. But I almost always walk past them and pick the mmmBop.

Serendipity. Isn't it nice?

 

[PhillB]

It is. Over the years, I have been convinced that whilst you may search for most of your bikes, there are a few bikes that find you and they are special ones.

 

[ishaw]

Was that my mmmbop? Glad it's found a good home and turned out to be something getting used in anger and putting a smile on your face.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

Back in the pre-retrobike days when there was some retro chat on STW I put out a wanted ad for a Salsa a la carte, on a whim. I was a poor student at the time but when someone got in touch to day they had one they had since almost new and it was available and my size I had to have it. A medium length train ride later and I picked the bike up, it was a hodge-podge of stuff but the frame and Bonty fork were great and just what I wanted. On the train home I realised it was sporting a 'John Machin cycles' sticker, which was my local bike shop when I was growing up, I was obsessed with the place and would go there a few times a week in school lunch and pester them. My first proper MTB ('94 Kona Hahanna) came from there, as did my third ('97 Spesh StumpJumper Pro, the apple green metallic one) the second was an insurance replacement after the first was nicked. Anyway, I asked Andy who I bought it from about the sticker when I got home and he had bought it from that shop back in the day, the original owner was Steve who worked at Machin's (and who was the recipient of most of my stupid questions) so I felt a real connection to it.

Some years later I became friends (via the internet at firs)t with @pete_mcc who I knew at the time had a lovely yellow Salsa La Raza road bike, the same shade yellow as my ALC and my size, he had bought it from another US based friend who IIRC had known the original owner so when that became available I had to have that too. I still have both (20 years with the ALC now!) in their matching paint and I still get a kick out of the fact I know their history and most of their previous owners.

 

[doctor-bond]

What a great idea for a thread. For me, the first happy accident was finding this place. I’d kept my 88 Team Stumpie since I got in 89, and by 2006 is was in need of refurb. When I asked my LBS to do the BB, it was Martyn (Bikeshopowner, on here - RIP Martyn) that put it in, and he told me about RB, and I signed up - insane how the years have racked up.

In terms of getting a keeper out of the blueness, a few years later, because of this place, I was deep in a fillet brazed steel obsession, digging on all things Overburys and playing with a Pioneer. My Bro casually mentioned that he’d just scored ‘an old steel racer’ from a guy in Bristol. When he turned up on it, it was an Andy Powell. Even more weirdly it had the kooky short top tube, long seat tube sizing that I need in a road bike. Anyway, when he brought it round to my gaff for my 40th bday bash, I didn’t think much - but he’s a Gee and he didn’t take it away with him.

Have had lots of bikes come and go, but those two are the keepers.

 

[JRGSXR]

I bought a 92 Kilauea a number of years back, I always wanted a Kona back in the day. My daughter took a shine to it as soon as I brought it home and claimed it for herself! Being Konaless again I settled for a 96 Cinder Cone that I found locally. Not my first choice but it would do. Fast forward a good few years, my stable now contains some imho nice bikes. All allegedly “better” and way more expensive than the CC. However, nothing rides like the CC. Every bike I own is compared against the CC and I would consider selling any ride in my collection except the CC. So in summary…. Not my first choice, found by chance, cost peanuts! No build to speak of, I only swapped a couple of parts, quick clean and she’s a keeper!

 

[2manyoranges]

Was that my mmmbop? Glad it's found a good home and turned out to be something getting used in anger and putting a smile on your face.

Absolutely is.
Wonderful rig.
Now
Original Manitous - serviced and tuned to cadillac-soft (that's a story in itself....only a chance comment from a rider in the forest got the tune right)
Hope front hub and 35mm rim - Magic Mary soft orange band
Stans 35mm rear on DT hub 142 - Hans Dampf soft orange band
Synchros ti seat post and WTB Vigo cushion saddle
ZEE shifter, SLX mech, SLX cassette, XT 165 cranks, Burtec Penthouse IV purple pedals
Renthal 50mm stem - replaced first fitment of Spank 35mm - change gave muchly grippage at front end
NukeProof carbon bars cut to 180
XT 2 pot brakes, 203 Alligator disc up front (96grm), 180 Alligator rear (85grm)
Odi grips with pink Odi bar ends.

It's done thousands of miles now. Brilliant, fast, secure and 'fits like a glove' feel....

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Somewhere around 94, and I was using a cheap bike, barely holding together. Craig was a roadie, but he had connections. His buddy Phil was unloading a bike, would I like to try it out for a second? I hopped on the Hardrock and the first thing I did was ride it down a flight of stairs. I have been owned by that bike ever since

No thing in the world has ever made me feel the way that RockRat does. Together, we will never grow old

 

[2manyoranges]

Somewhere around 94, and I was using a cheap bike, barely holding together. Craig was a roadie, but he had connections. His buddy Phil was unloading a bike, would I like to try it out for a second? I hopped on the Hardrock and the first thing I did was ride it down a flight of stairs. I have been owned by that bike ever since
View attachment 906046
No thing in the world has ever made me feel the way that RockRat does. Together, we will never grow old

Blimey it can cut down trees too!

 

[JCS]

Back in the pre-retrobike days when there was some retro chat on STW I put out a wanted ad for a Salsa a la carte, on a whim. I was a poor student at the time but when someone got in touch to day they had one they had since almost new and it was available and my size I had to have it. A medium length train ride later and I picked the bike up, it was a hodge-podge of stuff but the frame and Bonty fork were great and just what I wanted. On the train home I realised it was sporting a 'John Machin cycles' sticker, which was my local bike shop when I was growing up, I was obsessed with the place and would go there a few times a week in school lunch and pester them. My first proper MTB ('94 Kona Hahanna) came from there, as did my third ('97 Spesh StumpJumper Pro, the apple green metallic one) the second was an insurance replacement after the first was nicked. Anyway, I asked Andy who I bought it from about the sticker when I got home and he had bought it from that shop back in the day, the original owner was Steve who worked at Machin's (and who was the recipient of most of my stupid questions) so I felt a real connection to it.

Some years later I became friends (via the internet at firs)t with @pete_mcc who I knew at the time had a lovely yellow Salsa La Raza road bike, the same shade yellow as my ALC and my size, he had bought it from another US based friend who IIRC had known the original owner so when that became available I had to have that too. I still have both (20 years with the ALC now!) in their matching paint and I still get a kick out of the fact I know their history and most of their previous owners.

Cool story. Do you still have the a la carte?